New publications on land tenure

Land Tenure Working Paper 21. This paper draws on proceedings of a meeting held to discuss the impact of growing private sector investments in land, fisheries and forests. This meeting, aimed at the private sector, took place at FAO headquarters on 28 February and 1 March 2011. The purpose of this paper is to provide a record of the discussion from the private sector perspective. The first section provides the context which led to the workshop concept. Section two discusses the investment environment in the context of access to land, fisheries and forests and identifies the main drivers behind investment. Section three seeks to identify ways of finding common ground between conflicting goals and interests in order to promote responsible investment. Section four provides a conclusion to the discussion and makes suggestions for the way forward by building on the findings of the workshop.

This joint Transparency International and FAO Working Paper draws attention on corruption in land tenure and administration. Unprecedented pressures on land have been created as new areas are cultivated, taken over by expanding urban centres or are abandoned due to degradation, climate change and conflict. These developments have strained the rules, processes and institutions that determine which land resources are used, by whom, for how long and under what conditions. As evident around the globe, where land governance is deficient, high levels of corruption often flourish. Weak land governance tends to be characterized by low levels of transparency, accountability and the rule of law. Under such a system, land distribution is unequal, tenure is insecure, and natural resources are poorly managed. As a consequence, social stability, investment, broad-based economic growth and sustainable development are undermined.

Land Tenure Working Paper 20. This document presents an overview of the distinctive features of communal tenure in different community-based land and natural resource management systems. Two models of communal tenure are presented in the paper; these models differ in terms of the function of the state, the length of tenure and the characteristics of the resource system concerned.

Land Tenure Working Paper 20. This paper presents an analysis of communal tenure and its role for natural resource management system, in different contexts of selected Asian countries. The current market driven pressures on natural resources create both challenges and opportunities for communities and governments to use and strengthen communal tenure in order to promote sustainable management of some natural resources. Overall, policies and institutions that promote accountability and good governance over these resources, both by the government at national and local level and by communities, are required. Communal tenure will also very likely play a significant role in the policies and actions for climate change mitigation (REDD and REDD+).

This training manual is for people working in natural disaster risk management and response as well as for people who work in the land tenure sector. In a self-training format this publication aims to provide an overview of the major land tenure issues that may arise following a natural disaster which need to be considered and included in the decision-making processes associated with the whole disaster risk management phases. The publication is the result of a joint initiative between FAO, UN-HABITAT, Early Recovery Cluster of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee working on emergency operations, and the Global Land Tools Network. It has been built within the framework, developed by UN-HABITAT in collaboration with FAO, and integrated into the guidelines for practitioners published by UN-HABITAT in 2010.